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Every year in February, across the world, flowers, chocolates and gifts are exchanged between people in love, in the name of St. Valentine. Its history is rich and generally overlooked in favour of commercial culture. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains both Christian and ancient Roman traditions.
The festivals roots are in ancient Rome, with the festival of Lupercalia, an ancient pagan fertility celebration held annually on February 15. February 14th was a holiday to honour ‘Juno’. ‘Juno’ was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses, also the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, (February 15th), began the Feast of Lupercalia.
It was in 496 A.D., when Pope Gelasius I named February 14 in honour of St. Valentine, as the patron saint of lovers. Pope Gelasius I was born in Rome to African parents, and spent most of his life within the Roman clergy. He was one of three African popes, and occupied the holy papacy from 492 A.D. until 496 A.D. He denounced Lupercailia, and its celebration, and went on to recast this pagan festival as a Christian feast day in around 496AD, declaring February 14 to be St. Valentine's Day.
Although there are many legends it is mainly accepted that Valentine was a priest serving in year 270 A.D, Rome. Emperor Claudius II had decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, and outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret until his actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Legend also says that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his beloved, and signed it ‘From Your Valentine’.
The Valentines day tradition has lasted for hundreds of years until in 1969, Pope Paul VI went on to drop it from the calendar. However, by then the blend of Roman festival and Christian martyrdom had caught on in modern culture, so it looks like Valentine's Day is here to stay.
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